Progreso () is a
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
city in the Mexican
state
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
of
Yucatán
Yucatán, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate municipalities, and its capital city is Mérida.
...
, located on the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
in the north-west of the state some 30 minutes north of state capital
Mérida (the biggest city on the
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula ( , ; ) is a large peninsula in southeast Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north and west of the peninsula from the C ...
) by highway. As of the Mexican census of 2010, Progreso had an official population of 37,369 inhabitants, the sixth largest community in the state in population. The city is also the municipal seat of the surrounding
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
of the same name. The municipality's area is and its population at the census was 49,454 inhabitants. It includes
Scorpion Reef with its
five islets 130 km offshore (north) on the outer edge of
Campeche Bank.
Its largest other towns are Chicxulub Puerto,
Campestre Flamboyanes, and
Chelem.
Port
The
Port of Progreso is a center for both the fishing industry and the container industry. All containers arrive in Progreso and are distributed to Yucatán,
Campeche
Campeche, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, make up the Administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the sta ...
and
Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, constitute the 32 administrative divisions of Mexico, federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into municipalities of ...
.
Progreso also is one of the newest ports for large
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports of call, where passengers may go on Tourism, tours k ...
s and an emerging
balneario
A balneario ( Portuguese spelling: balneário) is an Iberian and Ibero American resort town, typically a seaside resort, and less commonly along the shores of lakes and rivers or next to hot springs. In Spain, balneario typically only refers to sp ...
resort destination. Passengers disembark on a very long
pier
A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...
, the Terminal Remota opened in 1989 that juts out into the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers are taken to shore to visit Progreso, Mérida or the
Maya civilization
The Maya civilization () was a Mesoamerican civilization that existed from antiquity to the early modern period. It is known by its ancient temples and glyphs (script). The Maya script is the most sophisticated and highly developed writin ...
archaeological sites of
Uxmal
Uxmal (Yucatec Maya: ''Óoxmáal'' ) is an ancient Maya civilization, Maya city of the classical period located in present-day Mexico. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture, along with Palenque, Chichen ...
and
Dzibilchaltun.
Tourism
During the months of July and August the beaches fill with thousands of mostly local tourists, as it is traditional in these months for residents of
Mérida to leave the city and spend the summer in the cooler seaside environment.
History
Progreso was founded in 1872 by Don Juan Miguel Castro, to create a sea port closer to Mérida than the older port of
Sisal, Yucatán
Sisal () is a seaport town in Hunucmá Municipality in the States of Mexico, state of Yucatán (state), Yucatán, Mexico. It was the principal port of Yucatán during the henequen boom, later overshadowed when the more modern port of Progreso, Y ...
.
Geography
Climate
Despite its coastal location and fairly humid climate (average humidity around 70–80%), Progreso has a
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''BSh'').
There is little variation in average temperatures though the winter months from December to March are noticeably cooler. Precipitation is scarce throughout the year but is more abundant from June to October. On average, there are 36 days with measureable rainfall.
Photo gallery
Image:Progreso_Founder_Statue.jpg, Progreso, Yucatán founder's statue
Image:Faro-progreso-mx.JPG, Lighthouse at Progreso
Image:Beach at Progreso, Yucatán.JPG, Beach at Progreso
Image:Progreso de noche 2.JPG, Progreso's International Boulevard (locally named as ''Malecón'') at night.
References
Link to tables of population data from Census of 2010INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
YucatánEnciclopedia de los Municipios de México
External links
YucatánEnciclopedia de los Municipios de México
{{DEFAULTSORT:Progreso, Yucatan
Populated places in Yucatán
Port cities and towns of the Mexican Gulf Coast
Ports of the Gulf of Mexico